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Teacher in the Air Dr. Diane's Flight with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters

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Teacher in the Air Dr. Diane's Flight with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters TEACHER in the AIR, Dr. Diane’s Flight with NOAA Hurricane Hunters Dr. Diane’s Flight with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters Diane Marie Stanitski and John J. Adler Written by: Diane Marie Stanitski and John J. Adler Illustrations by: Bruce David Cowden A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Publication A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Publication Biographies Diane Stanitski is a climatologist and associate professor at Shippensburg University in Pennsylvania where she teaches meteorology and atmospheric science courses. She served as both a NOAA Teacher in the Air in 2005 and a NOAA Teacher at Sea in 2002. She worked as a program manager in the NOAA Office of Climate Observation from 2003- 2005 to help build the global ocean observing system. Diane was co-author of the book, Teacher at Sea: Miss Cook’s Voyage on the RONALD H. BROWN. She is passionate about science and loves spending time with her family, traveling, playing soccer, and running. John Adler is a Lieutenant Commander in the NOAA Corps and served for five years as a navigator onboard Miss Piggy, the NOAA Hurricane Hunter plane. Previously, he served for 11 years as an aerial navigator specializing in Polar Regions in the US Navy. John is currently an Instrument Manager for the next generation polar orbiting operational environmental satellite system (NPOESS) at NOAA. He lives in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, with his three sons, Austen, Ian, and Collin. Together, they enjoy sailing, reading, bicycling, and Macintosh computers. Bruce Cowden is Chief Boatswain on the RONALD H. BROWN (RHB) and was illustrator for the book, Teacher at Sea: Miss Cook’s Voyage on the RONALD H. BROWN. He lives in Charleston, South Carolina, the homeport of the RHB. He started going to sea at the age of 18 where he cruised around the Caribbean on sailing vessels. He then joined the US Navy and sailed with them for six years. In 1988, he began his career with NOAA on the research vessel MALCOLM BALDRIGE. He worked his way up to Boatswain group leader and then took the Chief Boatswain position on the NOAA Ship FERREL. After a few years on the FERREL, he started working in Gray’s Reef National Marine Sanctuary in Savannah, Georgia, where he served as captain of the Sanctuary’s support vessel and was a diver, ROV operator, and submersible pilot for sustainable seas operations. He then started working on the RHB where he currently serves as Chief Boatswain and Dive Master. His hobbies include cartooning, watercolor painting, and carving jewelry and figurines. Written by: Diane M. Stanitski, Ph.D. Teacher in the Air National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and John J. Adler WP-3D Orion Navigator Lieutenant Commander, NOAA Corps Illustrated by: Bruce D. Cowden Chief Boatswain NOAA Ship RONALD H. BROWN Graphic Design by: David R. Brenner Graphic Artist NOAA Office of the Under Secretary A National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Publication 2006 Acknowledgements The authors extend their appreciation to those who supported the completion of this children’s science book, including Jay and Mary Lou Adler, Greg Bast, Lori Bast, Rear Admiral Richard R. Behn, Devin Brakob, David Brogan, Barry Choy, Tara Clopper, Mary Cook, Barry Damiano, Rear Admiral Samuel P. De Bow, Jr., Melanie Ellsworth, Dewie Floyd, Ron Gird, Geoff Goodenow, Jennifer Hammond, Deborah Jones, Philip Kennedy, John Yenta Kermond, Scott Kiser, Jeanne Kouhestani, Captain Stephen Kozak, Jim McFadden, Randy Mitchell, Stasya Panova, Jim Roles, Kathy Rowe, Tim Schott, Kathy Seiler, Tom Shepherd, Patricia and Raymond Stanitski, Dana Tomlinson, and Van L. Wagner. We also appreciate the cooperation and support of the dedicated NOAA employees on board Miss Piggy and those assisting planeside in each city during the 2005 Hurricane Awareness Tour. Requests for copies should be addressed to Outreach Unit NOAA Office of Public and Constituent Affairs 1305 East West Highway #1W514 Silver Spring, MD 20910 Phone: (301) 713-1208 [email protected] © 2006 by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration http://www.noaa.gov This book is dedicated to the future scientists and researchers of America and to the employees of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, especially those committed to improving the public’s understanding and awareness of hurricanes. Teacher in the Air Dr. Diane’s Flight with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters It was a brisk winter day in Shippensburg, Pennsylvania, and Dr. Diane Stanitski sat in front of her fireplace thinking about the wood that fueled the flickering flames and warmed her smile. The logs and branches had come from one of three trees that had fallen, domino fashion, in her backyard during Hurricane Isabel the year before. This hurricane was so severe that it brought 50 mph winds to southern Pennsylvania. Damage due to the high winds and heavy rain had been widespread throughout their area…just imagine how extensive it had been where Isabel made landfall along coastal North Carolina. As she stared at the flames, she developed the story in her mind that she would share with her Shippensburg University students later that day. She would describe hurricanes, her favorite topic of the semester! A discussion of hurricane development, storm characteristics, the incredibly destructive storm surge, and the unique naming system for hurricanes always enthralled her meteorology students. Dr. Diane was also excited that one of her most enthusiastic students had offered to travel with her to Maryland the following day to volunteer at a student science fair at NOAA. They would help judge science projects completed by students at a nearby elementary school. They were told that the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students consistently created outstanding research projects. She imagined how wonderful it would be if these students grew up to become scientists, perhaps even meteorologists! Illustration: Diane fireplace / students The next day, as Dr. Diane observed the creative student science projects at NOAA, she encountered another judge who was an officer in the NOAA Corps. He was the navigator of a NOAA aircraft that flies through hurricanes to collect the information that helps us understand the nature of these powerful storms. She couldn’t believe that she had met an actual hurricane hunter!! He told her about the NOAA Teacher in the Air Program, and encouraged her to look into participating in research on a NOAA plane. As part of this program other teachers had flown in Alaska and Hawaii to learn about wind flow patterns. Wow! Could she also participate, and learn more about hurricanes? One of Dr. Diane’s previous professors who she highly respected had always advised, “Never say no to opportunity!” This could be her big chance to participate in hurricane awareness activities. By spring, as part of the NOAA Teacher in the Air Program, Dr. Diane left for Maine to travel on the NOAA WP-3D Orion plane during the Hurricane Awareness Tour. She would learn about the fascinating science and technology on board, and help describe the world of meteorology to students of all ages who visited the plane during the tour. Students could walk through the plane to see the tools used to solve the mysteries of a hurricane. These tools enable meteorologists to precisely predict a hurricane’s path as it approaches a coastal area. The goal of the tour is to inform the public about hurricane safety and preparedness, and for the public to interact with emergency officials from their community. This year, the plane would fly from Bangor, Maine to Baltimore, Maryland, and on to Richmond, Virginia before stopping in Charleston, South Carolina, and Jacksonville, Florida. During each stop the pilots, scientists, and crew on board would share their stories about flying through hurricanes, and the science conducted during each eye penetration. The Hurricane Awareness Tour is a week-long event that alternates yearly between selected cities on the Eastern Seaboard and the Gulf Coast states. The WP-3D aircraft spends one day at each city for the public to view. See page 42 for a detailed map of the Hurricane Awareness Tour. The moment that Dr. Diane had been waiting for finally arrived – she was flying with the hurricane hunters! Since this was not an actual flight through a hurricane, she was given a place of honor in the plane’s flight station (often referred to as the cockpit). She observed the procedures that the pilots and flight engineer completed as they prepared for takeoff. They pushed a huge array of buttons and levers while communicating with the airport control tower. The quick ascent into the air with views on all sides of the plane was exhilarating! She discovered that during hurricane flights, one pilot focuses on keeping the plane level while the flight engineer throttles the engines to control the altitude changes during intense updrafts and downdrafts. The co-pilot monitors all instruments to detect problems or emergency situations. Flying through the eyewall is the scariest and most dangerous part of the flight for the crew, but their training and experience ensures they are well prepared. Dr. Diane tried to imagine the worst turbulence she had ever experienced. She noticed that everything on the plane was either tied down or had velcro on it – even the pencils! This is necessary to keep things from shifting during flight. Once the plane leveled at cruising altitude, Dr. Diane unstrapped and left the flight station to walk back and visit the crew. The crewmembers were making final preparations at their stations for the week-long tour, and were happy to explain their duties. NOAA WP-3D Flight Station Dr. Diane asked the scientists when they first became interested in weather. Many started observing weather patterns in middle school and sharpening their math and science skills in high school.
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